Our Dogs Waiting at the Gate
- terriblazell
- Mar 5, 2021
- 2 min read
For Christmas, my sweetheart gave me a 700 page book called Great Ghost Stories. At the top it says “101 Terrifying Tales” I was a little nervous to start reading it, especially since it was my bedtime book. Yes, I have a book I read at bedtime, a different one that I read at breakfast and lunch and a third, an audiobook, that I listen to in the car.
It is not as scary as I thought – so far. Mainly, it is a compilation of short stories having to do with apparitions or the supernatural; sightings of spirits more than actual interactions. But I’ve only read the first dozen so who knows where it will go.
But there is one story that really stands out, not because it is scary, but because it is beautiful. It’s called At the Gate by Myla Jo Closser, written in 1921. It’s about a dog that is on a journey along an unknown road. As he goes along, you begin to realize that the dog has died and is on his way to Heaven. When he gets closer to his destination, he sees thousands of dogs sitting outside the gates of Heaven.
He remembered when he was on earth that there were places with signs that read “Dogs not Permitted. He begins to wonder if dogs aren’t allowed in Heaven, too. Or only bad dogs weren’t allowed in. He wondered if stealing bones or sleeping on the couch were enough to keep him out of Heaven. But when he finally came to the gate, he was surprised that this was not the case.
The dogs were more than welcome in Heaven but they were all gathered there, waiting for their masters. They did not want to enter Heaven without their human families. So they waited for them.
Another dog greets him as if he knows him. As it turns out, this older dog had been the family dog when the couple first married. He was happily surprised to discover that they had had a child since he was gone.
Shortly, a child comes walking along the road. A dog bursts out of the canine crowd and eagerly greets his boy. They enter Heaven together. Another child comes along. This one had not had a dog in his short life. A small pack of dogs greeted the newcomer. They were strays that had never had a human. The boy chooses one and they enter Heaven together. “Every boy gets a dog, and every dog gets a master,” the older dog explains.
Such a beautiful picture. I won’t tell you the ending. You can find out for yourself. Below is a link to a reading of the story. And of course, I always encourage supporting our bookstores. Great Ghost Stories is available from Barnes and Noble for just $8.00: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/great-ghost-stories-stefan-dziemianowicz/1122902007?ean=9781435162310
Audio: At the Gate by Myla Jo Closser
Comments